The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Australia has announced the recipients of its most recent 2026 awards, the Jacqueline Morland Awards in Queensland, and the Joan & Monica Halliday Awards and Isobel Anderson Awards in Sydney, held over the weekend of 28 – 29 March.
Jacqueline Morland Awards
A highlight of the RAD calendar in Queensland, the Jacqueline Morland Awards are the state’s flagship event, named in honour of the late Jacqueline Morland, whose lifelong dedication to dance education and the ballet community continues to inspire generations of young dancers. The event brings together students from across Queensland and Northern New South Wales, offering a unique opportunity to perform on a professional stage in front of a live audience and an esteemed panel of adjudicators.
This year, more than 200 students took part in the semi-final classes led by Nicole Galea, with 53 dancers selected to progress to the finals. In addition, 50 students performed in group works, which were developed over four weeks in the lead-up to the event. Participants represented levels from Grade 4 through to Advanced 1 and 2, reflecting the strength and depth of training across the region.
Adjudicator Gaylene Lawrence shared, “I felt privileged to be invited to adjudicate the recent RAD Jacqueline Morland awards. A wonderfully organised and professional event to be a part of. I was impressed to see the high standard of excellence in both artistry and technique coming through from the younger dancers through to the senior. The future of ballet looks bright!”
Awards were presented across each level, recognising excellence in performance, alongside encouragement and artistry awards. A number of scholarships were also awarded, offering recipients the opportunity to further their training with leading dance organisations across Australia.
The prize winners of the 2026 Jacqueline Morland Awards are:
Grade 4
Winner – Constance Jing Yang, Queensland Dance Centre
Runner Up – Ava Northage, Qld National Ballet School
Encouragement – Rubee Roper, Karen Ireland Dance Centre
Grade 5
Winner – Jackie Radovanovic, Kimberley Woodge Dance Academy
Runner Up – Abigail Halim, Creative Academy of Performing Arts
Encouragement – Maya Brennan, The Dance Centre Peregian Springs
Intermediate Foundation
Winner – Vida Ambrosia Lopera, Kick Dance
Runner Up – Annie Weng, Queensland Dance Centre
Encouragement – Phoebe So, Queensland Dance Centre
Intermediate
Winner – Lani Gehling, Danielle’s Studio of Dance
Runner Up – Maci Smith, Classical Coaching Australia
Encouragement – Eloise Ferguson, Claudia Dean World
Advanced Foundation
Winner – Mackenzie Lightfoot, DE Studios & HQ Classical
Runner Up – Ruby Miethke, Classical Coaching Australia
Encouragement – Julieta Maillet, Queensland College of Dance
Advanced 1 and 2
Winner – Jessica Cooper, Classical Coaching Australia
Runner Up – Zara Strelen
Encouragement – Eboni Wilson, Claudia Dean World
Artistry Awards
Louisa Jennings, Premiere Dance Academy
Penelope Achurch, Annette Roselli Dance Academy
Scholarship Awards
RAD Australia proudly awards training scholarships in partnership with leading institutions to support the continued development of emerging dancers:
Australasian Dance Collective – Eboni Wilson, Claudia Dean World
Australian Ballet School – Carter Gibson, ABDS Kids
Australian Ballet School – Sienna Wescott, HQ Classical & DE Studios
Queensland Ballet Academy – Rubee Roper, Karen Ireland Dance Centre
Queensland Ballet Academy – Vida Ambrosia Lopera, Kick Dance
Sydney Dance Company – Ever Jewel Chaffey, Queensland College Of Dance
Sydney Dance Company – Imogen Shirreff, The Dance Centre Peregian Springs
Joan & Monica Halliday Awards and Isobel Anderson Awards
Exclusively sponsored by Bloch Australia, these annual awards celebrate RAD students in New South Wales from Grade 3 through to Advanced 1, honouring the legacies of Joan and Monica Halliday and Isobel Anderson. The events highlight the exceptional standard of RAD teaching in the region, offering young dancers a platform to showcase their talents and dedication to the RAD syllabus.
The 2026 awards programme began earlier in March, with more than 600 students participating in preliminary and semi-final classes taught by RAD examiner Kerrie Smith at RAD Australia’s headquarters in Darlinghurst. From this cohort, 36 finalists were selected for the Joan & Monica Halliday Awards (Grades 3– 5), and 43 finalists for the Isobel Anderson Awards (Intermediate Foundation to Advanced 1), culminating in an exciting weekend of solo performances.
The Joan & Monica Halliday Awards were adjudicated by Claire Phipps-Male, a former professional dancer and current faculty member at Queensland Ballet, while the Isobel Anderson Awards were judged by Olivia Bell, former Principal Artist with The Australian Ballet.
The 2026 Joan & Monica Halliday Most Outstanding Dancer Award was presented to Grade 5 finalist Caleb Nissen of The Academy Australia, in recognition of his exceptional performance. The Isobel Anderson Award for Most Outstanding Dancer was awarded to Lewis Nicholson of Nova City Ballet for his outstanding work across the finals.
RAD Australia National Director Shelley Yacopetti attended the 2026 awards and reflected on the calibre of this year’s event: “These awards continue to showcase the remarkable depth of talent within our NSW RAD community. It is incredibly inspiring to see dancers across all levels demonstrate such commitment and artistry through the RAD syllabus. We are especially grateful to Bloch for their ongoing support of this event. Occasions like these not only celebrate individual achievement but also acknowledge the dedication of the teachers and families who support each dancer’s journey.”
In addition to category winners, runners-up and encouragement awards were presented across all levels. Commissioned choreography awards were also presented, with recipients receiving training scholarships to Sydney Dance Company to support the development of their contemporary practice.
The 2026 prize winners are:
Joan & Monica Halliday Awards:
Grade 3
Winner: Amelia Ripley, North Shore Dance Academy
Runner Up: Ivy Hall, Dance North Academy
Encouragement Award: Bond Podmore, Newcastle Dance Academy
Grade 4
Winner: Emily Williamson, National College of Dance
Runner Up: Skye Bensley, Dynamite Premiere Academy
Encouragement Award: Elliott Muscat, The McDonald College
Grade 5
Winner: Noah Huett, Andrea Rowsell Academy Of Dance
Runner Up: Ilse Engstrom-Fritzson, Dance North Academy
Encouragement Award: Beatrix Griffiths-Witt, Tanya Pearson Academy
JMH Commissioned Choreography
Winner: Olivia Kim, The McDonald College
Joan & Monica Halliday Most Outstanding Dancer: Caleb Nissen, The Academy Australia
Isobel Anderson Awards:
Intermediate Foundation
Winner: Cleo Bell, Dance North Academy
Runner Up: Victoria Harper, JWDA
Encouragement Award: Lucy Miller, L’Academie
Intermediate
Winner: Wahta Handy, National College of Dance
Runner Up: Olivia Lowry, Tanya Pearson Academy
Encouragement Award: Yuna Choi, The McDonald College
Advanced Foundation
Winner: Milania Franklin, The Dance Spot
Runner Up: Irene Kim, Redlands Dance Academy
Encouragement Award: Oliver Austin, The McDonald College
Advanced 1
Winner: Maya Kingsmill, Tanya Pearson Academy
Runner Up: Anna Stephensen, Dance North Academy
Encouragement Award: Ivy Maughan, Ablaze Dance Academy
Isobel Anderson Commissioned Choreography winner: Ava Radojevic, Dance North Academy
Isobel Anderson Award for Most Outstanding Dancer: Lewis Nicholson, Nova City Ballet
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